Supportive oncology development in a major metropolitan area: regional services

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Healthcare Administration
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Access to supportive oncology services is crucial for cancer patients.
• Non-urban patients face significant barriers to accessing these essential services.
• Healthcare systems must address disparities in cancer care access, especially in underserved regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the regional expansion of supportive oncology services across a large geographic area over six years.
• To address inequities in access to supportive oncology care for non-urban cancer patients.
• To implement and evaluate an administrative project aimed at broadening service reach.

Main Methods:

• Utilized informal surveys and shared decision-making with 15 oncology practices across 4 regions.
• Collaborated with supportive oncology leadership to define goals and implement service expansion.
• Tracked progress through referral data to measure the impact of the expansion initiative.

Main Results:

• Surveys indicated patient willingness to utilize virtual supportive services.
• Key services prioritized by patients included patient navigation, integrative oncology, palliative medicine, and rehabilitation.
• Supportive oncology referrals from regional practices grew by 117% from 2018 to 2023.
• Referral growth varied across regions and time periods.

Conclusions:

• The multi-year project successfully expanded supportive oncology services to a wider geographic patient base.
• The administrative approach facilitated consistent regional growth in service delivery over the six-year period.
• This initiative demonstrates a viable model for improving access to comprehensive cancer care.